Academy mourns inaugural graduate, Troy Brothers, pilot who died in crash at Oakland County International Airport

By FRANK DEFRANK

Monday, June 24, 2013

The students and staff at the International Academy of Macomb continued to mourn Monday the loss of one of the institution's first graduates.

Troy Brothers, 19, of Fraser, was the pilot of a single-engine Cessna 172 that crashed Friday near the end of a runway at Oakland County International Airport in Waterford.

Brothers was part of the inaugural graduating class at IAM when he earned his diploma in 2012. His mother, Sandra Haley, 53; stepfather, James Haley, 58; and Jamie Jose, a 34-year-old firefighter from South Lyon, also were killed as a result of the crash.

"(Brothers) was a great kid who dreamed of becoming a pilot," said Lillian Demas, retired IAM principal. "He shared that dream with all of us."

Brothers attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo last year, but was scheduled to leave Monday for the U.S. Naval Academy, where he had been accepted.

"When I spoke to Troy, he often talked about flying," Strong said. "His ambition to become a pilot was evident. I recall reading his college entrance essay. It was a creatively written work about his passion for flying and the dreams he had for his future."

Michael DeVault is superintendent of the Macomb Intermediate School District, which coordinates the academy. He said Brothers is emblematic of many of today's students.

"This young man embodies the spirit of our young people today who have set high goals for themselves, and are ready to be the leaders of tomorrow," DeVault said. "Our sympathies are extended to Troy's family and friends and during this difficult time."

The Cessna 172 piloted by Brothers crashed as it attempted to return to the Oakland County airport about 1:40 p.m. Friday. According to published reports, a recording of radio traffic suggested the plane may have been overweight. The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting the investigation.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. The Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office on Monday was working to positively identify the victims through forensic dentistry, according to a county spokesman. Once identification is formally made, the bodies will be released to the next of kin.